King Narasimhadeva I (AD 1236-1264) of the Ganga dynasty erected the Sun Temple in Orissa red sandstone (Khandolite) and black granite. It is well-known for the 13th-century Surya Deula (or Surya Deul), also known as the Sun Temple. The temple offers an excellent glimpse into India's religious past. The Surya Deula is around 100 feet (30 meters) tall and would have topped 200 feet (60 meters) in height when completed. The outside is adorned in sculpted ornamentation, many of which represent sensual scenarios.
The 230-foot-tall sanctum of the old temple, which was constructed of Khondalite rocks but no longer stands, was replaced by a 128-foot-tall audience hall, dance hall, and dining hall. The 24 large wheels, each measuring 12 feet in diameter, are pulled by horses. The seven horses stand for the days of the week, the wheels for the months, and the eight spokes of the wheels symbolize the 24-hour day. Because Surya, the Hindu god of the sun, is shown here, riding eastward on his chariot with his charioteer Aruna, we can infer that the sun controls the passage of time. The north-eastern corner of Puri is home to the Sun Temple of Konark. Arka khetra is another name for Konark. The Black Pagoda is another name for this landmark.
The tantra tradition is also represented through sensual sculptures on the temple's shikhara. The temple's wheels can be utilized as sundials and can accurately predict the time. Konark is also an example of Kalinga (or Orissan) architecture. The main sanctum (named rekha deul or bada deul) in Kalinga is flanked by smaller shrines (bhadra deu), as well as the main audience hall (jagamohana), a dance hall (nata mandira), and the dining hall (bhoga mandapa); the rekha deul no longer exists. Because the temple faces east, the first rays of sunshine fall on the temple's main entrance.
Legend has it that a lodestone sits atop the Sun Temple. Because of its magnetic properties, vessels sailing through the Konark sea were drawn to it, causing extensive damage. Other legends claim that the lodestone's magnetic influence caused ships' compasses to malfunction. To rescue their ship, the Muslim voyagers removed the lodestone, which served as the Centre stone, keeping the temple wall's stones in balance. The temple walls lost their balance as a result of the displacement and eventually collapsed. However, no records of that occurrence or of such a powerful lodestone at Konark have ever been discovered.
The temple is a one-of-a-kind work of art. Its building took 1200 workers 12 years and sparked the kind of beautiful stories that everyone associates with great works of art. Bisu Moharana, an engineer, left the place where he was born to focus on his work. While he was away, he had a son. This son, in turn, joined the workshop. After building the temple's dome, which his father was unable to finish, he jumped into space and burned himself alive.
Samba, a son of Krishna, built the Konark Sun Temple. One telling of the story has Krishna cursing Samba because he snuck into the bathroom where his father's women took a bath. Because of this, Samba became afflicted with leprosy. A wise man suggested that he spend 12 years in Mitravana, close to where the Chandrabhaga River empties into the sea at Konark, performing rigorous penance.
The Sun God Surya was pleased by this and cured Samba of leprosy because he is also worshiped as the healer of all skin disorders. Krishna promised Surya's son a temple in his name as a token of his appreciation. Samba found a statue of Surya the next day as he was taking a dip in the river, and he promptly brought it back to the temple he had constructed to honor the god. The Konark Sun Temple is accessible from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The sun god Surya is worshiped there, hence the temple is most enjoyable first thing in the morning.